The only spray paint I have found to yield a pro paint job is found at Automotive Stores like; Auto Zone, Checkers, etc. It is Duplicolor and NOT Acrylic. The majority of there paints are Acrylic Lacquer which is a lacquer/plastic composite that gives the durability, finish and sound quality used by electric guitar manufacturers.
HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE:
1.) You MUST be willing to put in the required amount of time sanding and smoothing the wood before you can even consider a decent outcome. YOU CAN POLISH A TERD BUT IT WILL STILL BE A TERD. In other words, you can put 100 cans of paint over a dinged up body and it will never turn out nice!!
2.) You MUST use a sandable primer and/or sandable primer spray filler, several lighter coats, dry time between coats is 10-15minutes and once you get a few on start wet sanding after a couple hours, then apply a few more coats and do the same until you have a smooth covering.
3.) You can also then use primer sealer (also by duplicolor) to minimize the chance of the primer running under the color coats (not really necessary), and provide a smooth surface for the color coat.
4.) DO NOT PAINT OUTDOORS WHERE THE WIND, DUST and ELEMENTS CAN AND WILL CRASH YOUR EFFORTS.
5.) After 4hrs or so (climate=cool and humid? Wait longer than vice-versa) you can apply the color coat. After a few coats (also typically a short wait time) then wet sand with 1000+ fine sandpaper and even 000/0000 steel wool. The object is to keep the surface as prestine, smooth, yet slightly roughed up for the next coats. Don't overdo your coats or problems will arise and when the runs start...guaranteed you'll be stripping it all back off and starting over.
6.) After a good 24hrs apply Dupli-Color clear coat (also Acrylic Lacquer). The longer you let your final coats dry the better it is to work with and handle. No less than 48hrs in a dry/room temp environment.
7.) The more patience you have the extent of this project the better it will turn out...when you can determine that your finger print is not left indented on the neck or body before handling you can assemble the guitar OR BETTER YET LET IT DRY FOR A WEEK OR LONGER then wet sand with 2000 grit sandpaper, then MOTHERS CHROME POLISH (super gloss fine compound polish), then MOTHERS SUPER GLOSS WAX (a few coats).
WARNING: THIS IS FREE ADVICE AND IT HAS WORKED FOR ME CONSISTENTLY. FOLLOW THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK. IF YOU ARE NOT A PATIENT PERSON THEN FORGET IT...IT WILL NEVER TURN OUT PROFESSIONAL. IF YOU WANT TO PLAY IT SAFE DOUBLE ALL THE TIMES I LISTED BUT IT ALL ALSO DEPENDS UPON THE CLIMATE OF WHERE YOU PERFORM THIS PROCEDURE WHEN IT COMES TO DRY TIMES.
WARNING: INSURE YOU PAINT IN PROPER VENTILATION AND WITH THE APPROPRIATE MASK. YOU CAN GET AN AMPLE 3M MASK FOR AROUND $20 AT HOME DEPOT OR LOWES. $20 IS A SMALL INVESTMENT COMPARED TO THE HEALTH RISKS. ACRYLIC-LACQUER SHOULD BE HANDLED LIKE NITRO-CELLULOSE LACQUER (USED ON MOST OF THE VINTAGE INSTRUMENTS).
ATTENTION: IT IS IMPARITIVE THAT THE NECK AND/OR BODY IS PROPERLY PREPARED PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING TO FINISH. THAT MEANS ALOT OF ELBOW GREASE, SANDING, ETC. THE ONLY WAY TO GET PRO RESULTS IS BY PUTTING IN THE TIME.
ADDITIONAL INFO: IF YOU PLAN ON A STAINED OR NATURAL FINISH THE ONLY URETHANE THAT IS ACCEPTABLE IS SPAR URETHANE. THIS IS USED ON THE HULLS OF SAIL BOATS AND THUS IS SOFTER AND FLEXIBLE WHICH WILL NOT SCREW WITH THE NATURAL RESONANCE OF THE BODY WOOD.
DO NOT USE A POLYURETHANE AS I HAVE SEEN RECOMMENDED BY NOVICE GUITAR PAINTERS...THE MOLECULAR STRUCTURE OF A POLYURETHANE IS LIKE AN AIR BAG TO THE GUITARS NATURAL RESONANCE THROUGHOUT THE WOODEN BODY AND NECK...IN LAYMEN TERMS; IT SCREWS WITH THE TONE AND VOLUMES OF THE NOTES (FREQUENCIES) AS THEY RESONATE THROUGH THE GUITAR. IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO A GRAPHITE BODY.
COMMENTS: PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME FOR DRYING TIMES PER STATE!! IT HAS HAPPENED...RULE OF THUMB IS IF IT IS COOL AND HUMID IT WILL TAKE MUCH LONGER TO DRY THEN DRY AND WARM!! IF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS YOU MAY WANT TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON
PAINTING, ETC. OR PLAN ON SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF TRIPS TO THE LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE STORE!!
Hybrid Mode
